Each and every day we take the time to speak to friends to see how they are doing in life. Each and
Every day we walk passed fine folks that look a little different to us. Each and every day we walk passed
People who look as though they have not bathed or eaten in days. Their hands are out to us for help
and we ignore them and feel justified in doing so. The truth is we look down on this community. We do so without knowing what has happened to get the person there. In previous lives, they could have been someone who had a lapse in judgment or was dealt a playing card that sent them there. It cannot be said that homeless people want to live they way they do.
I did the same until a couple of things did happen to make me realize that these fine folks that we look down on are human beings just like the rest of us.
I came across a story of a homeless person that was a little different than most once you found out about the person. This person was characterized as close to being insane. She would shout obscenities down the street and most would say that there was a mental illness involved that made her very scary to approach. This was the opinion of us who chose not to get to her this person but just walk by.
Turns out that this is the story of this person. Maggie was born to us in the forties. She started experiencing differences in her personality in the late fifties during the already rough teen years. She was the daughter of a mercenary priest and once this difference started to fester itself, Maggie was shipped off to other members of her family and lived as a transient in the sixties. Instead of correctly finding out what may be wrong, her father said that she was a sinner and that was what was wrong with her.
In the early seventies, she took to the living on the streets after a series of events that would make most of us give up. She was finally properly diagnosed with a mental disorder and the hospital that she was in constantly performed what was known as electro shock treatment on her to fix the issue we will say. In other words sent electricity into her brain. We should also mention that she was given medication to also assist in this. Then the largest betrayal of all. This was also being done when it was discovered that she was pregnant in order for her to miscarry the child. Once this child was actually born and Maggie demonstrated how tough she actually was, the child was put up for adoption or correctly said, taken away from her. That was the turning point for Maggie and she walked out in to the streets of Hamilton until she passed away in the mid nineties being ignored y all of us.
You would think her story would end there but it does not. Maggie was profiled many times once her death occurred and the community that ignored her had several candlelight vigils and memorials in her name. A headstone was donated in order for anyone to remember her by two ordinary citizens. Maggie’s passing affected many people and her legacy on this earth so not completely there.
Maggie’s name was used in a proposal to implement a program called COAST in Hamilton. This program assisted families in this region on how to handle living with a person with a mental disease. It gave not only law enforcement but counseling services and consumers groups. All of this after Maggie had left us.
I think of this story and ask myself, would we be able to accomplish as much and even after death have such a positive impact as a person that we just walked by and ignored.
This lady’s life had affected me so much that this was written about her and I hope to give you more details about Maggie one day.
Maggie’s Piano
Maggie has seen days that have been better
Now she is held together by the old stitches of a tattered dress
Her gibberish screams at passerby’s make her seem sinister
She cannot keep it all calm and together, Maggie’s mind is a mess
Maggie’s magic happened each night before we settled in
She would sit, smile and give a gift like no tomorrow
Touching us all before she would really begin
The mystical, magical sound of Maggie’s Piano
Every day her eyes looked so worn
Head down and tired when she takes a dirty seat
Scattered worries race through her mind, so forlorn
Maggie cannot figure out when next she will eat
Each day, Maggie helped our homeless strive
Lifting our wandering sorrow
Touching us to come alive
By the sweet sound of Maggie’s Piano
People walk by Maggie with her hands out
Street cratered face. Years of street and alley living
As they went by, she gave an angry, unrecognizable shout
One that sent them away from giving
When most of our bodies felt like death
Sweet sounds gave us smiles for tomorrow
That on extra, smooth breath
From the heart of Maggie’s Piano
We were so sad when Maggie left
Gone, to us, was that fighting courage
To the rest of us, it was the higher power’s theft
Tired of watching her get kicked like every day garbage
So he took her to a better place
Where maybe her clothes were sparkled new
Where there was no more anger in her face
Where weathered skin could be new
Each night, we close our eyes
Listening for her grace
Gifts from the skies
To the battered piano in this place
How it takes away our tired and cold
A warm, safe place to go
For the warm, unkempt and old
At the foot of the always playing Maggie’s Piano
October 31, 2009
Friday, February 19, 2010
Saturday, February 6, 2010
A Canadian Tradition
Very recently, Former US President Bill Clinton had these words to say about Canadians as he is currently the United Nations Special Coordinator for Haiti.
“The Canadian people have been so generous. I'll bet you on a per-capita basis they're the number one in the world in helping Haiti. Probably because of the prime minister's matching-grant program, but for whatever reason, the Canadians have all given money, and all want to support it. And you should be very proud of that,” Mr. Clinton said.
We all know what happened to this country that has had it trial and tribulations before. Personally I could not even imagine what they have lost or what they have to go through to rebuild. I have not lived in such a place and cry at the thought of what they are going through.
Am I surprised we, as Canadians, have stepped forward and given to help at this time. I am not. I am Canadian and the first thought is to help and in this past decade we have stepped up many times and did what was right. We just helped other human being no matter where they were.
When the tragic circumstances of 9/11 took place, we send monies, firefighters, and opened our country to over 200 airliners and the 33 000 people on them. We made sure they were fed and sheltered during that time. Our fine folks in Newfoundland became world renowned for opening their kitchens and showing them good old fashioned Canadian care.
The tsunami that completed destroyed parts of India in 2004 and left many dead is another time where Canadians stepped up to help another neighbour of our in this world. This devastation completely turned the country of India into a disaster area where they were pulling bodies from homes for an endless period of time and heaven knows what they are still finding to this day.
We immediate set forth to help rebuild and comfort. No less than 11 agencies set up donation fund for humanitarian efforts. Not only did we donate millions of dollars but people were sent to help with clean up and treatment as well as contributing to equipment necessary to detect tsunamis so this would never happen again in that region again.
When Hurricane Katrina essentially wiped out the City of New Orleans we were there. Eighty percent of this city was lost to flooding and 90 percent of the residents of southeast Louisiana were evacuated. The losses were beyond anything we can ever imagine. We once again sent millions of dollars and people to assist in the rescue efforts and the rebuilding process to this day. We took people into our country with open arms, deployed our navy and sent items such as tent, and toiletries.
So in looking at what has been said of our efforts in Haiti are of no surprise to me. We lost good citizens that were already there helping this country before this disaster had happened and we will continue to do so in the giving spirit we are known for. This is not because we are forced; it is because it is natural for us to just help all. So very proud to be Canadian.
CD Review
Tom Cochrane – Trapeze
To continue with CD’s I believe are classic and the Canadian giving spirit, I will introduce you to Tom Cochrane’s Trapeze. I am a huge fan of greatest hits CD for the reason that you will find all the songs you like on them and maybe you will go back and buy the remainder. This one is no different. This collection has it all on three CD’s. Yes folks he has had that many hits.
On Disc One you will find the songs that started it all here in Canada. The dreams of being in the spotlight in “Avenue A”, the looking back on a life spent in “Boy Inside the Man and the broken dreams of a hockey family in “Big League”. On this disc there are 17 of his eighties materials. To show that he was not afraid to take on any subject in his time, his most popular song on this side
“Lunatic Fringe” was about anti-Semitism in the seventies. Tom Cochrane writes about never giving up in “Human Race”. Something we should all adhere too.
Disc Two kicks off with his most popular hit “Life is a Highway”. A song written after one of his many trips to Africa on behalf of World Vision. Of the thirteen songs on this disc, Tom Cochrane shows his tender side like never before on, “Sinking like a Sunset”, Washed Away”, “Widest Dreams” and “Dreamers Dream”. One of the strongest tracks on this side is a message to his wife who he was separated from at the time, “I Wish You Well”.
There are extras with this great package that include a rare live performance on disc three and two new original songs, “Just like Ali” and “Postcards From The Edge”. Both of which continue his rich tradition of excellent story telling.
Tom Cochrane take the time to paint a rich, Canadian landscape and used his fame to not only give us the gift of music but used it to enrich those around him who were unfortunate by being a person who gave through World Vision, War Child, Amnesty International and Make Poverty History.
Hats off!
“The Canadian people have been so generous. I'll bet you on a per-capita basis they're the number one in the world in helping Haiti. Probably because of the prime minister's matching-grant program, but for whatever reason, the Canadians have all given money, and all want to support it. And you should be very proud of that,” Mr. Clinton said.
We all know what happened to this country that has had it trial and tribulations before. Personally I could not even imagine what they have lost or what they have to go through to rebuild. I have not lived in such a place and cry at the thought of what they are going through.
Am I surprised we, as Canadians, have stepped forward and given to help at this time. I am not. I am Canadian and the first thought is to help and in this past decade we have stepped up many times and did what was right. We just helped other human being no matter where they were.
When the tragic circumstances of 9/11 took place, we send monies, firefighters, and opened our country to over 200 airliners and the 33 000 people on them. We made sure they were fed and sheltered during that time. Our fine folks in Newfoundland became world renowned for opening their kitchens and showing them good old fashioned Canadian care.
The tsunami that completed destroyed parts of India in 2004 and left many dead is another time where Canadians stepped up to help another neighbour of our in this world. This devastation completely turned the country of India into a disaster area where they were pulling bodies from homes for an endless period of time and heaven knows what they are still finding to this day.
We immediate set forth to help rebuild and comfort. No less than 11 agencies set up donation fund for humanitarian efforts. Not only did we donate millions of dollars but people were sent to help with clean up and treatment as well as contributing to equipment necessary to detect tsunamis so this would never happen again in that region again.
When Hurricane Katrina essentially wiped out the City of New Orleans we were there. Eighty percent of this city was lost to flooding and 90 percent of the residents of southeast Louisiana were evacuated. The losses were beyond anything we can ever imagine. We once again sent millions of dollars and people to assist in the rescue efforts and the rebuilding process to this day. We took people into our country with open arms, deployed our navy and sent items such as tent, and toiletries.
So in looking at what has been said of our efforts in Haiti are of no surprise to me. We lost good citizens that were already there helping this country before this disaster had happened and we will continue to do so in the giving spirit we are known for. This is not because we are forced; it is because it is natural for us to just help all. So very proud to be Canadian.
CD Review
Tom Cochrane – Trapeze
To continue with CD’s I believe are classic and the Canadian giving spirit, I will introduce you to Tom Cochrane’s Trapeze. I am a huge fan of greatest hits CD for the reason that you will find all the songs you like on them and maybe you will go back and buy the remainder. This one is no different. This collection has it all on three CD’s. Yes folks he has had that many hits.
On Disc One you will find the songs that started it all here in Canada. The dreams of being in the spotlight in “Avenue A”, the looking back on a life spent in “Boy Inside the Man and the broken dreams of a hockey family in “Big League”. On this disc there are 17 of his eighties materials. To show that he was not afraid to take on any subject in his time, his most popular song on this side
“Lunatic Fringe” was about anti-Semitism in the seventies. Tom Cochrane writes about never giving up in “Human Race”. Something we should all adhere too.
Disc Two kicks off with his most popular hit “Life is a Highway”. A song written after one of his many trips to Africa on behalf of World Vision. Of the thirteen songs on this disc, Tom Cochrane shows his tender side like never before on, “Sinking like a Sunset”, Washed Away”, “Widest Dreams” and “Dreamers Dream”. One of the strongest tracks on this side is a message to his wife who he was separated from at the time, “I Wish You Well”.
There are extras with this great package that include a rare live performance on disc three and two new original songs, “Just like Ali” and “Postcards From The Edge”. Both of which continue his rich tradition of excellent story telling.
Tom Cochrane take the time to paint a rich, Canadian landscape and used his fame to not only give us the gift of music but used it to enrich those around him who were unfortunate by being a person who gave through World Vision, War Child, Amnesty International and Make Poverty History.
Hats off!
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